"I gave the Gilbert family a son! Even if I haven't done anything remarkable, I've at least put in the work. What gives her the right to treat me like this?"
"I see how it is now. I'm the only outsider in this family! Fine. I'm going back to my parents' house!"
The words had barely left her mouth when my daughter came storming downstairs, slamming her door behind her, her face flushed with anger.
"Melissa, cut the theatrics! So you had a son. Big deal!"
"My mom bought me a house. What's it got to do with you?"
"And quit threatening to run home to your parents every five minutes. Go ahead, then! Stop being all bark and no bite!"
Melissa's face cycled between pale and green.
I stood there, stunned.
My daughter had been well-mannered and sensible since she was a little girl. She'd never gotten into it with anyone. Even though she'd never thought much of her sister-in-law, she'd always been perfectly polite.
What had set her off like this?
I hadn't had a chance to read through the rest of the group chat yet. All I could do was step in and smooth things over.
"Melissa, this is my first time being a mother-in-law. I don't have experience. If I've done something wrong, let's sit down and talk about it."
"Jude Gilbert's still away on his business trip. If you go back to your parents' house now, I won't know what to tell him. Can we at least wait until he's back?"
Melissa wiped her tears and was about to nod.
My daughter rolled her eyes.
"Some people just don't know when they've got it good. Over a hundred thousand a year in pocket money, a postpartum recovery suite that cost a few hundred grand, three nannies, a personal driver. I really don't see what there is to complain about."
"And now she's pushing for more, using the baby as leverage to get her hands on Mom's money? Have some shame!"
I shot her a look. "Amber!"
But it was too late.
Melissa snapped. She set Noah Abbott down on the couch, dropped to the floor, and burst into hysterical sobs.
"My life is so miserable! My mother-in-law and sister-in-law ganging up on me while my husband's away!"
She sobbed and flailed, and then she flipped the dining table.
It went over with a deafening crash. My custom Italian dining table, thirty-eight thousand dollars, legs in the air. Cups, plates, and bowls shattered across the floor.
Noah started wailing.
Melissa only cried louder. "The Gilberts are bullies! I gave you people a son, and this is how you treat me?!"
My patience drained away, drop by drop.
I spent half an hour trying to calm her down. The harder I tried, the louder she wailed. Noah cried until his little voice went hoarse.
I took a deep breath, pulled out my phone, and called the driver. "Silas Dickerson, take Melissa back to her parents' house."
The crying stopped instantly.
Melissa stared at me, disbelief written all over her face.
"Mom, you're kicking me out?"
I looked at her. "You said you felt wronged. Go stay with your parents for a few days. When Jude gets back, he can come pick you up."
She blinked, and when she realized I wasn't joking, she scooped up Noah, grabbed her suitcase, and slammed the door on her way out.
Three days later, Jude came home from his business trip.
The moment he walked through the door, his phone rang.
Even from across the room, I could hear Melissa's shrieking through the receiver.
Jude listened with a deepening frown, never saying a word.
When he hung up, he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Amber sidled over, looking a little guilty. "So... what did she say?"
Jude sighed. "Your sister-in-law says if we want her to come back, it'll cost three million dollars."
Amber exploded. "Three million?! Has she lost her mind?"
"One argument and she wants three million? Why doesn't she just rob a bank?"
"Besides, she started the whole thing! When she had Noah, Mom gave her a two-hundred-thousand-dollar red envelope. And what about all that gold jewelry? Over a million dollars' worth! That's close to two million total, and she's still not satisfied?"
I caught her eye and gave her a look.
She flashed me an OK sign but kept right on going.
"Come on, Jude. Our family isn't short on money, but we can't keep letting her bleed us dry like this!"
"Three million every time she throws a tantrum? What's next? She'll clean us out eventually!"
